Category: Devotional

I have been running myself to death and I finally realized why. I have been trying to do it in my own strength. Between preparing for sermons, visiting and ministering to people, taking care of my father after his surgery, and preparing 3 lectures each day for school; I have gotten tired. Then it occurred to me. I have been trying to do it all in my own strength and not His.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2 that he ministered in weakness and fear and trembling. It was God’s power that brought about spiritual results. Paul understood that. I guess I needed a reminder too. It is amazing to be a part of the work God is doing in the world. It is even more amazing that He gives us the power and the strength to accomplish it! All we have to do is obey Him every step of the way and allow His power to flow through us as we serve Him.

We really can simply step out of the way and let Him do it all. What have you been trying to do in your strength? It will tire you out right away! It is His work, done in His power! That’s the secret.

For some reason I love the summertime.  Not the heat, but everything else.  It amazes me that God created the seasons as He did.  It’s a reminder of His faithfulness.  Cold in the winter, hot in the summer, mild in between.  In spite of some people’s assertion that we humans are disrupting this process (as if we could do that), every year is the same.  God shows Himself to be faithful each year.

For the past three summers we have had a garden.  It works almost like clockwork.  By Mother’s Day the roses are in, by  June 15th we have squash and beans, and by July 4th the Tomatoes are in.  God is just as faithful in our lives.  We don’t always see it.  We don’t always acknowledge it.  But He is.

As the summer rolls on, think about the autumn coming.  God will be faithful as He always is!

I am preaching this week from Matthew 6:25-34.  Jesus gives us 8 reasons we should not worry.  In studying, I ran across a great quote from Robert Mounce.  Mounce says when we worry we are being, “practical atheists.”  What a humbling thought.  I’ve been awake for about 4 hours this morning and I have already worried at least a few dozen times about one thing or another.

Among the 8 reasons Jesus gives for not worrying (I won’t preach my whole sermon here) is in verse 32.  He says the idolaters seek after things, but our Father knows we need them.  His point is that when worry about things, or give our full effort to attaining things, we act like an unbeliever.  They have no Heavenly Father who knows their needs.  We do!  When we worry about stuff, we forget that He cannot provide.  Maybe we act like He doesn’t know?  doesn’t care?…either way we live as if He does not exist.  Thus we become practical atheists.

Surely we’d never say with words that He doesn’t exist.  Our actions may say it for us.  I’ve often said that people know would know exactly what you believe if they merely observed your actions for about a week.

Don’t be an atheist.  He exists.  He can meet our needs.  He will meet our needs.